Double deck sandwich serving unit



May 12, 1959 R, L. CAHN 2,386,395

DOUBLE DECK SANDWICH SERVING UNIT, HAVING ELECTRIC cow PAN Filed April 18 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 1N\VENTOR. ROBERT L. CAHN Afrowy R. L. CAHN SANDWICH SERVING UNIT, HAVING ELECTRIC COLD PAN May 12,1959

DOUBLE DECK Filed A ril 18, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll INVENTOR. ROBERT L. CAHN 6r gi I ATYURAEY May 12, 1959 R 1 CAHN DOUBLE DECK SANDWICH SERVING UNIT, HAVING ELECTRIC COLD PAN Filed April 18, 1957 v 3 ,Sheets-She et 5 iNVENT OR. ROBERT L. CAHN in superposed relation to States Patent O :In restaurants, lunchrooms, and similar establishments where large numbers of sandwiches must be made, it is conventional practice to utilize a sandwich makers unit or-worktable. Conventionally, a structure of this type has a cutting board, on which the sandwiches are made, and immediately in back of and extending longitudinally of the-cutting board is an elongated, refrigerated space inwhich individual trays are supported, each holding a different; foodusedin making sandwiches, as, for example, eggsalad, tuna fish, etc. The space is adapted to be closed by a sectionally constituted cover composed of transversely curved sections, one fixed and one movable, eachof which sections extends through ninety degrees. The movable cover may be pivoted into telescoping relation to the stationary section, to expose the food-holding trays,

i. Refrigerating means is also conventionally employed in a structure of the type stated, adapted to refrigerate the trays supported in the mentioned space. a

Ordinarily, a sandwich unit of the type described has a relatively limited capacity, as regards the number of different foods that can be supported in the mentioned space while being maintained in a fully refrigerated condition. ,As,,a result, where it is desired to maintain in readily accessiblepositions trays holding more food than can be accommodated normally in said space, it is common practice to haphazardly locate additional small trays those already properly supported. Alternatively, trays may be temporarily located where they will not befully refrigerated. This, of course, carries the danger of spoilage of the food. Further, the sandwich maker cannot operate with full efficiency in these. circumstances. 7 n

In view of the above, it is the broad object of the present invention to so form the sandwich unit as to provide for the support of asubstantial number of additional food holding .trays, while maintaining the foods carried by the additional trays not ly where they will be fully accessible to the sandwich maker, but also, where they will be keptin fully refrigerated condition by the same refrigerating unit used for refrigerating the foods in the main row of trays previously mentioned. regard, that the additional trays will be supported in elevated position, tilted toward the sandwich maker, in .an upper bank or'deck located above and in back of the lower deck in which the trays first mentioned are ppo ed-.

It is another object to form the unit in such manner th'at-thelower and upper decks can be provided either withsingle rows of trays, or alternatively, with double rows, thus to increase still further the capacity of the sandwich unit for holding different foods while maintaining the same in a fully refrigerated condition.

' A furtherobjectof importance is to provide a sandwich unitof the character described that will be capable "of manufacture at verylittle increase in cost above the It is proposed, in this are also mounted upon the frame.

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2 unit while raising the manufacturing cost only a relatively inconsequential amount, this desirable result being achieved not only by utilizing the novelly arranged, elevated deck of trays, but also by so locating both decks as to permit them to be cooled by a single refrigerating unit.

Another object of importance is to provide a sandwich unit of the type stated which, so far as the overall floor space and height thereof is concerned, will occupy little or no more space than that required by a conventional unit not having the desirable characteristics of the invention.

Still another objectof importance is to provide a sandwich unit of the type stated which, though utilizing double-decked rows of trays, will still have, below the cutting board, ample refrigerating space for storage of foods not immediately required.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:-

Fig. l is a perspective view ing to the present invention.

Fig. 2' is a transverse sectional view substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the unit substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. construction.

-Fig. 5 isa perspective view of another modified construction.

In the-form of the invention shown in Figs. l-3, the sandwich unit 10 includes a number of components which, per se, are conventional. Thus, the unit includes a bottom" frame 12 supported on corner legs 14. The side walls 16 of the sandwich unit 10 are extended upwardly from the frame, being fixedly secured thereto in any suitable manner. Front and back walls 18, 20, respectively, 7 The several walls would, of course, be of stainless steel or other noncorrosive material, and it will be understood that the particular design of this portion of the sandwich unit can be varied. Further, the several side, front, and back walls (see Fig. 2) are fully insulated.

Formed in front wall 18 are horizontally spaced openof a sandwich unit accordthrough the unit 2 showing a modified ings, normally closed by hinged refrigerator doors 22,

said doors providing access to a storage space in the lower portion of the sandwich unit. In this space can be stored various foods which are not immediately required.

Above the doors 22 there is provided a forwardly projecting shelf 24, and at the location of the shelf (see Fig. 2) the front wall 18 is offset inwardly as at 26. At the upper end of the front wall, there is mounted a forwardly projecting-cutting board 28 spaced above shelf 24 to provide a compartment 30 for sandwich plates, said compartment opening toward the sandwich maker so as to maintain the plates in a fully accessible location.

Spaced forwardly a short distance from the back wall 20 is a longitudinally extending partition 32 insulated as shown in Fig, 2 and extending substantially from end to end of the structure. The partition 32 is transversely curved through ninety degrees. As shown in Fig. 2, the partition 32 curves upwardly, forwardly toward the front wall, above the cutting board, with the partition being effect double the food holding capacity of the sandwich spaced rearwardly from the inwardly offset upper portion 26 a distance sufficient to define, between the portion 26 and the partition 32, a space in which may be supported a plurality of main food support trays 34'. The trays 34 are arranged in a row extending longitudinally of the cutting board, and are removably supported on the top a surface of an inwardly extending flange 33 on the bottom end of partition 32 and the top surface of the offset portion 26 of wall 18, the trays having flanged peripheries for this purpose. Each tray holds a different food that may be required in the making of sandwiches to order.

The food trays 34 may be covered, by a cover including cover sections 36, 38. Each section is transversely curved through ninety degrees, section 36 being stationary and being disposed in contact with the front surface of the correspondingly curved partition 32. Section 38 is adapted to be pivoted about its center into telescoping relation to the cover 36, to an open position. In Fig. 2 section 38 is in closed position, but it will be understood that during the making of sandwiches, it is swung to open position to expose, simultaneously, all the trays 34.

Integral with and projecting upwardly from the top edge portion of the partition 32 is an extension 40 of the partition. Extension 40 extends the full length of the partition, and is insulated. Extension 40 is inclined slightly from the vertical, being inclined toward the front of the structure upwardly from the partition as shown in Fig. 2.

The back wall 20 extends upwardly a distance substantially higher than the cutting board, and terminates at its upper edge at a horizontal plane slightly above that of the top of the extension 40 (see Fig. 2). Since the back Wall is in a vertical plane, with partition 32 and extension 40 being inclined forwardly in the direction of their upper ends, there is defined between the partition and back wall a space 42 that is increased progressively in width in the direction of the upper end thereof. Supported in the wide upper end of the space is a row of auxiliary food trays 44 (Figs. 1 and 2), these being provided with flanged front and back ends supported upon the extension 40 and back wall 20 respectively. The supplementary trays are thus tilted forwardly toward the sandwich maker, providing ready access to the foods contained therein.

This feature of the invention thus provides for a doubledecked food support means, including the lower row of trays 34 and the upper row 44. The food in all the trays is readily accessible to thesandwich maker, and as will presently appear, all the trays are subjected to refrigeration from a single refrigerating device. 7

Referring to Fig. 1, the unit is, of course, equipped with the usual waste slot 46 in one end of the cutting board, communicating with a Waste drawer 48 supported on the shelf 24. Further, trays 44 may be covered by individual covers 50.

The space 42 communicates at its lower end with the refrigerating space of the structure, with the space in 'which trays 34 are supported being also in communication with said refrigerating space. This is shown in Fig. 2, and within the refrigerating space there is provided a fintype refrigerating coil 52, adapted to refrigerate both banks of food trays simultaneously.

Within the lower storage compartment there is provided a ledge 54, adapted to support stored foods, and defining storage compartments 56 and 58 above and below the ledge, both of which are also subjected to refrigeration from the coil 52.

The sandwich unit is, of course, equipped with various other components usual in constructionof this type of device, such as an electric light bulb 60 adapted to illuminate the storage compartments, and controlled by a micro-switch 62 that operates responsive to opening of either door 22.

Further, there is provided a blower 64 on the refrigerating device, within compartment 56, a waste drain 66 in the bottom wall of the structure, and a bleeder tube 68 extending from the space in which the supplementary trays 44 are supported, downwardly to a location ad- .jacent the waste pipe.

It will be apparent that with little increase in the total space occupied by the device, the food-supporting capacity of the same is substantially doubled, as regards foods that are to be immediately accessible during the making of sandwiches. Further, although the food capacity is doubled, the refrigerating unit maybe the same -as previously employed, and is adapted to cool both banks of trays. This results from the particular structural arrangement of the several components, and the relative location of the same. Reference is here had to the partition 32, extension 40, main trays 34, supplementary trays 44, space 42, and refrigerating units 52.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is here shown a slightlymodified construction, wherein there is a double row of main food trays 34 and a double row of auxiliary trays 44*. In this form, the structure 10 has the corner legs 14, back wall 20 cutting board 28 front doors 22*-,refrigerating coil 52*, and blower 64 These components are identical to the corresponding components of the first form, with the exception that the overall depth of the unit is increased to permit accommodation of the double banks of trays.

In this form, the trays 34 are supported in two rows, parallel to each other, with the adjacent end flanges of these trays being supported upon a longitudinally extending bar 69 The cover sections 36*, 38 are adapted to cover both rows of trays 34 1 The partition 32 is arranged as in the first form, and merges into an extension 40*. Supported by and between back wall 20* and extension 40 are double rows of supplementary trays 44 carried by said extension and back Wall, and by a support bar 70 Otherwise, the construction is substantially identical to that of the first form.

In Fig. 5, another modification is shown. In this form of the invention, the construction is such as to provide, at one end of the unit, a toaster stand, breaddrawers, and a serving shelf which can be used for various purposes, as for example for the placement of completed orders where they canbe conveniently picked up by a waitress. 1

In this form, the cutting board 28 extends fully from one to the opposite side of the structure, and the plate shelf 30* is also arranged as in the first form of the invention, with a waste drawer 48 provided at one end of the plate shelf. 1

' However, in this form there is only one door 18 to the refrigerated storage compartment. Adjacent said one door, there are provided two bread drawers 72, and it will be understood that these doors would slide into and out of a compartment, which compartment may be insulated so as not to be refrigerated, or at least refrigerated to the same extent as the storage compartment shown in the first form of the invention.

The telescoping cover sections 36 38 differ from the first form in that they terminate at oneend inwardly from the corresponding end of the storage container, thus leaving, at one end of the unit, a horizontal, flat shelf 74 substantially coplanar with the top surface of the cutting board, and adapted to receive an' electric toaster, not shown, thus providing in the unit atoaster stand. 1 Shelf 74 extends fully to the back wall 20 of the construction, and above the shelf, on said back wall, there is provided a duplex receptacle 76, providing a conveniently located outlet for electricity to be used in supplying current to the electric toaster. I 1

Projecting forwardly from the back wall 20 above the receptacle 76 is an upper shelf 78, which may be'used .as a serving shelf, on which completed orders may be assaaezs Other than in the respects noted above, the construction shown in Fig. is similar, insofar as its basic structure is concerned, to the for-ms of the invention previously described herein, that is, there are provided the refrigerating means, blower, etc., all as previously described.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent A device of the kind described comprising a unit having a straight front, side, rear and bottom walls forming a compartment and being open at the top, the rear Wall being higher than the other walls, a curved intermediate wall extending partly across the unit above the front and side walls, the top end of the front wall being offset inwardly providing a horizontal supporting shelf, and an elongated cutting board mounted on the top surface of the offset portion and extending forwardly over the supporting shelf, said offset portion and cutting board providing a compartment open at the front for the storage of dishes, the upper end of said intermediate wall being lower than the top of the rear wall and coacting with the top of the rear wall for removably supporting trays above the compartment, in an inclined position, the bottom end of said intermediate wall being on a level with the top of the front wall and coacting with the top of the front wall for removably supporting trays at the top of the compartment, and a cover supported by the intermediate cover and movable over the latter trays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 332,222 Wood Dec. 8, 1885 1,513,357 Webber Oct. 28, 1924 1,967,058 Longstreth July 17, 1934 2,182,682 Shroyer Dec. 5, 1939 2,432,397 Earle Dec. 9, 1947 2,531,323 Connell Nov. 21, 1950 2,534,488 Weber Dec. 19, 1950 2,627,728 Levin Feb. 10, 1953 2,676,081 Smith Apr. 20, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Institutions Magazine, page 15 (Inst-7-015-01), July 1955.

Institutions Magazine, page 138 (Inst-9138-01), September 1955. 

